Dr. Mommy

Our preceptor for PCM (ahem, Principles of Clinical Medicine) told us that his mother was 1 of 2 women in her medical school class back in the 50s, and that the dean of the school actually asked her once why she was there, taking up space that could be filled by a real doctor. Someone who wasn't going to get married, have babies, and become a housewife. Times have changed since then. My class (of 160 people, give or take depending on mood...) is about 60% men, 40% women.

But has society has really changed that much? I mean, the same issues that beleagured women professionals in the 50s are still present today! The struggle between the desire to work outside of the home and the desire to be home with your kids is still at the heart of our working class. I wonder about it myself sometimes.

I've never had the luxury of staying home with E all the time, because I've been a student for my entire life. But I don't have the 8 to 5 working hours, and I get lots of vacation time, and when he's sick I don't have to call in to ask for time off. So I wonder how I'll handle it when I do have those restrictions. And how will it be to have babies that I can't spend 4 months with before I have to go back to work? E was born at the end of April, so I had 3 1/2 months off before school started again. That's a lot better than 12 weeks of maternity leave, which is not even guaranteed! And that's another topic entirely...

I know there will be years when I will not be working full-time and I know that I will make career choices based on my kid(s). I knew that going into med school. So I sometimes wonder if I am taking the place of a physician who would work full-time his/her entire life and possibly be more of a contribution to medicine?

My personal conviction is that I will be the best physician possible in the role I have, whether that be part-time, full-time, specialist or primary care. But there will always be questions, and there will never be answers except those that I create for myself.